The percentage of A-level students in Wales being awarded top A* grades this month rose to its highest ever level.

Official figures published as thousands of students opened their envelopes showed a marked improvement at the highest grade, with 6.7% of students claiming A*s this summer – up from 6% last year and in 2012.

Wales also recorded an impressive surge in the percentage of pupils gaining at least an A grade, with 23.3% of entries scoring an A* or A this year – up from 22.9% in 2013.

It meant Wales had stopped the rot at the highest level, with A*-A performance having previously fallen every year since 2009.

When GCSEs were dished out seven days later, the nation recorded its highest A*-C pass rate since devolution, with two thirds (66.6%) of Welsh entries being awarded at least a C grade.

The figure, a key benchmark for entry into further education and employment, represented a 0.9% rise on last year and surpassed Wales’ previous high – 66.5% – recorded in 2011.

The nation’s proportion of top grades also increased, with 19.4% of pupils obtaining A*-A grades – up from 19.2% last year.